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Abstract
We are developing a ‘packagebm’ for calculating nursing workload and hence numbers and grades of staff required to provide nursing care to a group of patients as related to their needs. At present, the study refers only to geriatric patients in hospital wards, but later will be extended to include patients in other medical specialities. The dominant factors which emerge as criteria for determining nursing workload are specified, and a parallel study on ‘standards of care ’ is also briefly described. The patients' ‘nursing needs ’ are identified and recorded by the nurses in charge of the care; prescriptions of the care requirements are made daily both for the ‘optimal ’ and ‘minimal ’ standards. Further data required for the workload calculations comprise:
(a) results of work measurement: event times for items of direct care; activity sampling data for indirect and routine care;
(b) patient descriptions from the medical and nursing staff, in terms of therapeutic intent, mental, physical and social state, and degree of disability;
(c) ward profiles, describing ward layout, management policy and supporting services.
The method of testing the prototype geriatric package is presented, and the first trial described. The proposed future development of the project is discussed.